(Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Friday, August 8 with new information from the RCMP)
By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
A Martensville man and woman are among three individuals now facing multiple charges as a result of a drug trafficking investigation that stretched across two communities.
According to an RCMP news release, officers with the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Battlefords Crime Reduction Team-Gang Task Force (CRT-GTF), which is part of the Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team (SERT), and the Critical Incident Response Team executed a search warrant at a residence along Heibert Crescent in Martensville on July 30.
Officers located and seized a sawed-off shotgun, a replica firearm, cocaine, suspected MDMA (which is often referred to as ecstasy) and other evidence of drug trafficking. An adult male and adult female were arrested at the residence.
On July 30, officers also executed search warrants at a business near the intersection of Highway 16 and Poundmaker Trail and a residence on St. Laurent Drive in North Battleford.
Though no evidence of drug trafficking was found at the residence, officers seized a loaded shotgun, a replica firearm, cocaine, suspected MDMA and other evidence of drug trafficking at the business.
During the course of the investigation, officers also arrested an adult male at a vehicle in North Battleford. While searching the vehicle, officers located and seized a loaded semi-automatic rifle, a loaded sawed-off rifle, cocaine, a sum of cash and additional evidence of drug trafficking.
In total, officers located and seized four illegal firearms (three of which were loaded, two replica firearms, 246 grams of suspected MDMA, 55 grams of cocaine and 36 grams of psilocybin.
“The SERT program, including the Battefords CRT-GTF, continues to provide invaluable support to the detachment’s efforts in decreasing violent crime,” said Insp. Ryan How, Battlefords RCMP Detachment Commander. “Our officers and residents are safer any time illegal guns and illicit drugs are seized.”
The release notes that the Warman RCMP were also involved in this investigation, as well as the Battlefords RCMP, Saskatchewan RCMP, the Lloydminster Crime Reduction Team, the Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team, the Battefords General Investigation Section and Serious Violent Offender Response.
Brandon Corbeil of Martensville, Maddison Dziadul of Martensville and Brendon Brown of North Battleford are each charged with six counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Corbeil, 32, is also charged with possession of a weapon while prohibited, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, possession of a firearm when knowing possession is unauthorized, possession of a restricted firearm with ammo without a licence/registration, and failing to comply with a release order.
Corbeil was also wanted on warrants from the Battlefords RCMP for several charges including assault, failure to comply and failure to attend court.
Dzaidul, 23, is also charged with careless use of a firearm, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, possession of a weapon knowing that possession is unauthorized and possession of a restricted/prohibited weapon with ammo without a licence/registration.
Brown, 34, is also facing a number of additional firearms charges. Brown and Corbeil first appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court on July 31, while Dzaidul is set to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on September 15.